


A Wonderful World

by PiccioneHato



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: M/M, Shatt
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-11
Updated: 2018-03-11
Packaged: 2019-03-30 04:32:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 10,524
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13942659
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/PiccioneHato/pseuds/PiccioneHato
Summary: Matt had the most amazing life. Loving parents, adorable little sister, a nice place to live. He couldn’t ask for anything else. Everything was perfect. But everything changed when a distracted driver hit their car at over 50 mph. Nothing was the same. Matt just barely survived, but the damage to his family was much worse than he thought.





	1. Chapter 1

    Matt awoke early one morning in a pitch black room. Everything hurt. He tried desperately to think of where he was. But nothing looked familiar. Then suddenly, he began hearing a feint beeping noise. He whipped his head around and found a machine to his left. A heart rate monitor.  
    What happened...?  
    Matt raised his left hand up to his head, finding a bandage. It stung like salt in a wound when her put just the slightest amount of pressure on his forehead. With that one touch, it all came back. 

 

***

 

Matt was in the backseat of the car, his six year old sister was telling a story about who knows what, but everyone was listening and smiling as she rambled on about whatever it was. They came to a stop and Matt looked out his window, the orange sun shining back at him. The sky was absolutely stunning. The blue and purple tinted clouds, orange and yellow horizon, it was beautiful. Eventually, the car inched forward as the light turned green. Matt barely had time to turn his head towards the front of the car when everything went silent. He felt his body slam against the side of the car, glass shattered all around him. Then a large bang. His ears had picked up on the sound of two vehicles slamming into one another. Soon he heard muffled screams and yelling. He saw blood dripping from somewhere, maybe it was his, but he couldn’t find his glasses and therefore couldn’t see anything. Suddenly the door next to him flew open and someone pulled him out quickly and carefully. They were asking him questions, trying to get him to respond, but he could barely breathe. He felt tears running down his face, but he wasn’t crying, he was silent. He looked around him in terror. He saw a little girl being placed on a stretcher, was she alive?  
“Katie!” He yelled as loud as he could. Everyone held him down and he fought and fought to get lose. Out of fear and trauma he managed to wriggle his way out of their hands. Matt ran to the little girl. She was crying, screaming, calling for her mother. The boy lost his balance entirely and fell face first onto the hard, black, glass filled road. Instantly he was lifted up and places on a stretcher of his own. He vision began to become cloudy and his breathing slowed. The paramedics placed a mask over his nose and mouth to keep him alive. Then everything went black. 

 

***

 

Matt knew where he was. A hospital. His right arm was broken, his forehead cut by glass and debris. He began to panic and cry. Immediately his heart rate skyrocketed. He began to hyperventilate. “Mom!” He screamed as loud as his traumatized self could manage. “Dad!” He began coughing and his cries for help turned into unintelligible noises of panic.  
A team of doctors and nurses rushed in to check on the teenager. “Matthew we need you to stay calm. Breathe in and out, slowly.”  
He looked around at the blurred faces and struggled to break free of their tight grip. “Where am I?! Where’s my mom?! My dad?! What’ve you done with my sister?!”  
“It’s all right, Matthew. You’re safe. You’re going to be ok. Please breathe. In and out. Ok?”  
Matt shook his head, crying. “No! Where’s my family?!”  
A sharp pain resonated in his arm. He fell silent and his muscles relaxed. Anesthetics. He could barely keep his eyes open before the world went black. 

 

***

 

“Welcome back.” A kind voice said as he regained consciousness.  
“Mom...?”  
The lady shook her head. “No, Matthew. I’m sorry, but I’m not your mother. I’m just a nurse.”  
Matt carefully propped himself up in his pillows. “Where’s my family? I want to see my mom and dad.”  
“Do you prefer Matt or Matthew?” The nurse asked, handing him a glass of water.  
He took a small sip and rested the glass on his leg. “Matt... I prefer Matt.”  
“Well Matt... I’m sorry to tell you this, but after the crash, you and your sister were the first to be pulled from the vehicles. Your mother fell unconscious shortly after we got her out of the car. As for your father, who was driving, took the full impact. And... He... He and your mother didn’t make it.”  
Matt dropped the glass, it shattered loudly as it hit the floor. He said nothing, but his body language was enough. His hand that was holding the glass was now trembling, his eyes were wide with fear, tears ran down his cheeks.  
“I’m so sorry.” The nurse gently rubbed his hand tenderly. “Would you like to be alone?”  
“No!” He answered quickly. Matt took a deep breath and looked at the nurse, his hazel eyes red with tears. He bit his lip hard and stifled his sobs. “And my sister...?” He asked, “Is she alive..?”  
“Your sister is Katherine Holt?”  
“Yeah... Katie.” He replied with a small, shaken up voice.  
The nurse nodded and did her best to smile. “Yes. She’s going to be fine.”  
Matt wiped the tears from his eyes and forced a smile. “Good...” For a moment, everything was quite, but then he spoke again. “Can I... Can I see her?”  
“There’s something you should know first.”

 

***

 

Matt was led down the hall to the pediatric unit of the inpatient wing. The walls changed from a bleak tan to a nice variety of bright colors. The doors themselves were also rather colorful, and had little animal stickers on them.  
RM 326.  
He knocked carefully before entering. “Katie!” He ran to her bedside, forgetting how much pain he was in. He grabbed her hand in his own and wept. “Katie. Thank goodness you’re ok!” The boy was crying so much that he didn’t even sound like himself.  
“Daddy...?” Katie turned her head towards Matt. Her face was covered in gauze and bandages. Her eyes were covered as well. The glass of the car window had completely broken and had fallen onto her. She was, after all, on the side of the impact.  
“No... It’s me. Matt. Your brother.”  
She smiled with delight. “Hi Matty.”  
“How... How are you feeling...?” He asked, trying to hide his worry.  
Katie shrugged as best she could. “Alive... But... Mom and Dad...” her bottom lip began quivering.  
Matt quickly changed the subject, he couldn’t bare to see her cry. “How are the nurses. Have you eaten anything?”  
She nodded cheerfully. “I had some bread.” She pointed blindly to where she thought the plate might have gone to. “Nurse Ellie is really nice. Who’s your nurse?”  
Matt squinted his eyes, trying to hold back his tears. “I don’t think we have the same nurse. But—” he was going to continue but Katie cut him off.  
“I can’t see, Matt.”  
“Well, you do have bandages wrapped completely around your little face. So I’m not surprised that you—”  
“No...” Katie gripped Matt’s hand tightly. “I can’t see anymore. Ever.”  
“I know...” Matt couldn’t hold it in any longer. He began crying in front of his little sister, who, in turn began whimpering.  
“I don’t know how... But I got cut really bad.” She cried, “it got my eyes. And now I can’t see. I’m scared, Matt!”  
Matt forced himself to his feet and wrapped his left arm around his trembling sister. He wanted to tell her that it’ll be ok. That they’ll get through it, but he couldn’t. His muscles hurt almost as much as his soul.  
Katie forced a hand from under the blankets to moved and She wearily gripped her bother’s arm between two trembling fingers.  
Instantly, he took a hold of her little hand and kissed it.  
She pointed to her face and mumbled “here...” between her little cries. “Mom said that if you kiss a boo-boo the pain will go away.”  
“Did she now?” Matt smiled through his streams of tears, laughing just a little and gently kissed his sister’s forehead. “Better?” He asked, half joking.  
She forced a thumbs up and giggled, smiling again. “All better.”  
Matt was glad that she was still herself, optimistic and happy, but he knew it was an act. She was terrified. When he tried to leave, she broke down and threw a fit. He didn’t want to leave her, but he didn’t have a choice either.  
He gave his sister a hug, the biggest hug he could manage and gave her one last kiss before getting to his feet. “I’ll be back tomorrow, Katie.”  
And with that he left her in the cheerful children’s wing with its bright colors and cute animals. Only, to her it was black, empty and dark. She could no longer see its beauty, not now, not ever again.


	2. Chapter 2

Matt visited his sister every day and helped her cope with everything that had happened. He came in just after she had breakfast, or whatever she was able to eat, which wasn't much, and stayed until she had her evening medications. When she had her lunch, he made an effort to assist her, handing her a forkful of food, giving her the small cup of water, and taking it from her when she was done. He didn't like doing it, he wasn't used to taking care of a six year old. Sure, he had watched her on occasion, but he had no practice in a thing like this. To make it all worse, she got cranky and threw a fit almost every day, but he couldn't blame her.  
The two of them both had their fair share of scars, but Matt knew without even looking that the ones his sister had were much worse. The morning he was discharged from the hospital, he went to go see her. That morning was also the morning where they removed the bandages from her head and face. Matt however, did not know of this.  
He knocked as he always did and entered. "How are you... feeling.....?" His jaw dropped and his muscles stiffened. It surprised him. What he was seeing wasn't normal. This was, after all the first time he had seen her face since before the accident. She didn't look at all like herself. Matt found the scars rather off putting, but he would never tell her that.  
Katie smiled and turned her head to where she thought Matt was. "Do I look good?" She asked, giggling.  
"Y-yeah... You look great, actually." Matt closed his eyes and walked over to the bedside and took a seat. Her once bright brown eyes looked around the room, a gray haze over the iris. The scars around her eyes healed nicely, except for one that was still covered. The gauze on top of it was a light brown, clearly it was not healed. He felt queasy looking at it and quickly averted his eyes.  
Katie extended a hand, stretching her fingers out, trying to find something to hold onto.  
"I'm right here, Katie." Matt gently took his sister's bandaged hand in his own, forcing himself to look at her.  
    But those eyes. The way they looked around the room without purpose, without life, it upset him. For the first time in his life, he was scared to look at his sister. As if the scars weren't enough to distract someone, her once calming, sweet, brown eyes from which she inherited from her mother, were enough by themselves to draw your complete attention.  
    He pushed the fear out of his mind, reminding himself why he was there. This isn't some freak, this is his sister. And he must get used to it. "How... How have you been..?" He stuttered.  
The little girl smiled and wrapped her fingers around Matt's hand. "The nurses said I can go home soon. What about you?"  
Matt was glad she was alright. He truly didn't care about her scars, her inability to see, the bruises and bandages, none of it. All he cared was that she was alive. That’s all he should ever care about. He could've lost her too. If the light had changed even just a split second sooner, she wouldn't be here in front of him. Every day he thought of this. How if time was changed just the slightest, he could've lost her too. But if it went the other way, his mother and father would still be here. He tightened his grip on his sister's hand, making her pull away.  
"What's wrong, Matt? That hurt!" She whimpered quietly to herself.  
"I'm sorry..." he cleared his throat, hiding his emotions from the world. "It was an accident."  
Katie closed her eyes and suddenly began crying. "I want to go home...” tears spilled from her eyes as she spoke, “I miss Mommy and Daddy. I don't want to be here anymore. It’s scary! And I don’t like it!”  
His sibling instincts kicked in and he gently wiped away her tears with the back of his hand. "Hey... Don't cry, Katie. I'm still here."  
The young girl shook her head, whimpering, “no. You’re not always here! When you leave everything is scary again. I don’t feel safe!” She was crying so much that she made herself start to cough. “I can’t se anything around me. And... And it’s just... terrifying!”  
“I will always be here for you .” Matt rubbed her hand calmingly. “At least from today onwards. I’m not leaving this room.”  
"Really...?" She wiped her now red nose with the sleeve of her hospital gown. “You’re staying? Like forever?” Katie smiled hopefully.  
"Yep. Your big brother got an OK from the doctors to go home, but I chose to stay. To keep you company."  
Katie made an effort to smile. She was glad that Matt was staying with her. At least she wouldn't be alone.  
Matt rested his head on the bed next to Katie and let out a long sigh. "There's something I have to tell you."  
The little girl tilted her head in curiosity.  
"The nurses want us..." He stopped snd corrected himself. "They want me to keep you under close watch, but I'm going back to school next week."  
His sister simply nodded in response, but she wasn't paying attention. Instead, she was slowly waving her hand in front of her face. "I really can't see it..." her voice was small and quiet. "I can't see it. I can't see you. I can't see the room. Nothing." Her breathing became short and fast. "It's all black. And dark." She let out a few whimpers before tears ran down her scarred face.  
"I can't imagine what it's like for you... But I'm going to look after you, ok?" His own voice was shaky as he spoke to his worried sister. "But you have to be cooperative. No more push back, no more fits, no more arguments. None of that. Ok, Katie?"  
"Hug..?" That’s all she said.  
    Matt subconsciously smiled, it was pretty obvious that deep down she was still her normal self. He gently gave his little sister a warm, comforting hug.  
She wrapped her mobile arm around her brother's neck and smiled adorably. "I've missed your hugs."  
"Yeah? Well you smell terrible. Make sure someone gives you a bath soon." He joked.  
Katie giggled at his rather rude comment, "I haven't taken a bath in ages! You smell just as terrible."  
The two of them laughed together and they both felt at peace. It was as if the hells of the world were removed from their minds just long enough for them to feel happy.  
"Katie." Matt's voice was serious. All of the tenderness had gone. "I still haven't told you what I needed to tell you." He watched as her smile quickly faded. A gloomy expression appeared on her face. Matt looked away, not wanting to see her sad. "You're going to need a permanent guide. I won't always be there for you. Especially since I’ll be going to school soon. I talked to the nurses and they put me through to a specialist, and they're willing to give you a guide dog for almost nothing. Which helps since I don't have a job. But all you need to do is—"  
    Katie didn't wait for her brother to finish, and instead expressed her own opinions. "I don't want a dog."  
    "Very funny, Katie. You need one and yes, you do want one. You've asked Mom and Dad for a puppy since you could talk."  
    She shook her head in defiance. "No. I don't want a dog. Can't I just get the stick thingy? Like in the movies?"  
    "First of all, it has a name." He kept his temper despite becoming annoyed with her sudden attitude. "Second of all, no. You can't. Not until you're old enough. I talked with the experts. You need a guide dog."  
    "Well I don't want one!" Katie huffed in anger and turned her head away from her brother. "I don't want a stupid dog."  
    Matt took a deep breath, trying to stay as calm as possible. "It doesn't matter what you want. You need one. And that's final."  
    "No!" She shrieked in anger, "I don't want one! I don't! Why can't Mommy still be here?! She'd understand! Daddy would too! You can't make me do anything!"  
He scoffed at her comment. “I can actually. I’m your brother, and Mom and Dad always left me in charge. So yes, I can make you get a dog.”  
“Mommy and Daddy are gone! They didn’t leave you in charge!” She argued. “I don’t want some dog! You’re just trying to bully me into doing something you want.”  
“No, I’m not. You can ask any of the nurses. How about you ask nurse Ellie. You’ll believe her, right? Because I bet you a hundred dollars that she’ll say you need a guide dog.”  
“I don’t want a dog! I don’t need one! I’m fine on my own! I” Katie knew somewhere that what she was saying wasn’t true, but to her tired, hungry, and distraught six year old mind, she was right and Matt was wrong. don’t care what anyone says. You can’t make me get one.” She stuck her tongue out at her brother.  
“You’re getting a dog whether you like it or—”  
“No!” Katie moaned in anger. “I don’t want one! I want my parents! Not a dog!”  
    "Katie! Just shut up and listen to me for once!” Matt accidentally grabbed her arm in anger. His grip was tight and forceful, he had forgotten all about the bruises, scars and bandages. Katie screamed in pain, but Matt barely took any notice. He couldn't take her attitude any longer. "This isn't your decision! You're blind! You can't see! You can't do anything for yourself! You're getting a guide dog wether you like it or not!"  
"Matt! Let go!" Katie continued to scream and cry as Matt held tightly to her arm. She's not strong enough to pull away, and even she was, her muscles were much too stiff to be moved. “I’m sorry!! Please let go!!” She squirmed in pain as best she could, but her effort proved useless. “Stop it! It hurts!” She cried loudly but the pain never stopped. “Matt!!”  
Suddenly, his sister's cries reach his ears and he let go in a panic. "Katie... I... I'm sorry! I never meant to—" he staggered backwards as the door opened.  
"Is everything alright?" A nurse asks, sounding panicked. “I heard screaming.” She rushed over to the crying child and checked her for blood or fresh wounds. “It’s alright dear,” the nurse said, trying to silence Katie. “You’re alright.”  
Matt looked from the nurse to his sobbing sister, and back at the nurse. "Katie... I'm sorry... I...” Matt cut himself off, leaving the room in a hurry and ran somewhere to be alone. The hallways are empty and he chose a quiet place to let it all out.  
He punched the brick wall hard and silently screamed to himself. At first he was angry. Matt was mad at himself, how he hurt his sister, and yelled at her. But his anger quickly changed to grief. The once silent halls echoed with the teen's sobs. After holding it in for so long, he didn't care who passed him if anyone did.  
    "Excuse me..."  
    Matt looked to where the voice was coming from.  
    "Are you alright...?" A boy around his age asked. He had jet black hair and frontward facing bangs. He seemed worried for Matt despite not knowing him at all.  
    "Yeah. Fine... Just, angry and confused and upset." He rubbed his nose and eyes, trying to get ahold of himself.  
    The other boy smiled kindly. "It'll be ok in the end."  
    "Thanks..."  
    "I hope you and your family feel better soon." The nameless boy smiled kindly and patted Matt on the back.  
He only nodded in response. Who is this guy?  
"You look familiar." The dark haired boy smiled and extended his hand towards Matt. "I'm Takashi. Though, everyone calls me Shiro. I think we go to school together."  
"Maybe." He shook hands with this kind stranger and forced himself to smile. "I'm Matt, by the way."  
"Nice to meet you, Matt. You go to the school around the corner right?" Shiro asked in curiosity.  
"Yeah. We've probably seen each other in the halls."  
"Then I guess I'll see you around."  
"Yeah...."  
The boy continued to smile, which was rather comforting. "Remember, it's going to be ok." He added before waving and walking off down the hall.  
    Matt watched as this Takashi, or Shiro, fellow walked away. What a weird interaction. One moment he's bawling his eyes out in a small corner, and the next, he's talking to someone his age. Something he hasn't done since the crash.  
    Matt was alone again. All of a sudden, he thought of his sister. How he had accidentally hurt her already damaged arm. He ran as fast as he could to find her room. This time, he didn't knock. He didn't wait outside the door for an answer, he just walked right in.  
    "Katie! I'm so sorry!" He wrapped his fingers around her own and kept his composure as best he could. "I didn't mean to hurt you. Please forgive me..."  
    His sister cocked her head to the side and forced her weak fingers to hold onto his. "It's ok... I disobeyed you're rules..."  
    "No, Katie. You have nothing to apologize for. You're scared, traumatized, stressed, lonely, angry, and so much more. I'm the one who's going to have to change. You're my responsibility now. I have to take care of you wether I like it or not."  
Katie closed her eyes and yawned. "Okay... As long as it's you."  
The two fell silent. The only sound was the echoing of the machines beeping. The room felt dark even with all of the lights on. Matt didn't feel safe anymore and he knew why. It wasn't his life he was worried for, but his sister's. Not only can she not see, but almost every inch of her is covered in scars. Her left arm is almost completely immobile, and her legs are just as bad. Matt knows how bad of a condition she's in, but he can't bring himself to tell her the truth. She isn’t well. From what Matt Last overheard from the doctors, is that she has a serious concussion. Most of her injuries will never heal. And she might never be able to walk, at least not properly. However, to her, she's just in pain. That's all he wants her to know.  
"Matt..." her feint whispers were just loud enough to called Matt back to reality. "Nurse Ellie said that she'd give me a bath this Friday. Before I go home."  
"Friday...? You're going home on Friday?" His hazel eyes widened. Never would he have thought that she'd be going home so soon.  
Katie nodded, smiling. "Yep! Friday! And today is Tuesday!"  
Matt found himself crying. "Katie... That's... Thats wonderful!"  
"As long as I stay on track with my recovery, I can go home."  
"I'm so glad. We'll have to celebrate, won't we?" Matt let go of her hand to wipe the tears from his cheeks. "What do you want to do?"  
Katie thought long and hummed as she did. "Can we pick up my guide?"  
"Your guide...?" At first Matt had no idea what his sister wanted. "Oh! You mean your service dog?"  
"Duh! You said I can't go home without one."  
Matt grinned "Well, I'm glad you want one. Not like you really have a choice." He teased.  
The little girl let out an adorable giggle, "as long as it's fluffy."  
"Alright, Katie. We can get a fluffy dog."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1\. There will be shatt I promise  
> —> I’m building up the plot first  
> 2\. I plan to update once every other week  
> 3\. Please leave feedback or kudos if so desired.  
> —> I want to know if what I’m writing is even good or not.


	3. Chapter 3

"Are you ready to go home?" The nurse asked Katie as she helped her to sit up.   
Katie nodded, smiling "I'm so excited."   
Matt came into the room with a small tray of food. "Final breakfast in the hospital. Are you well enough to eat?"   
"Yeah" she answered cheerfully. "I'm pretty hungry."  
    He handed his sister a little breakfast sandwich he bought from the cafeteria. She took it from him and started to nibble at it. Matt sat down next to her and sighed a little. "You know that it's going to be pretty hard getting back to our norm. Plus, it's not going to be easy for me to leave you at home."   
    "I'll be fine. Besides, I'll have a guide, right?" Her bright smile warmed her brother's heart. "And I can learn to call you if I need anything." She stuffed the last bite of sandwich in her mouth and wiped her mouth with her hand.   
    Matt tousled his sister's hair-much to her disliking- and hopped off the bed. "Ready to go?" He asked.   
    Katie seemed worried. Her legs dangled over the side of the bed, but she made no effort to move. "I'm scared..." She whimpered and scooted back towards the center of the bed.   
    Matt gently took a hold of his sister's shaking hands. "I've got you, Katie. You can hold onto me if you're scared."   
    She wrapped her arms tightly around him, she was terrified. She hadn't walked in two weeks, and to make matters worse, she was now blind. Walking is practically impossible.   
    "Here goes nothing..." Matt whispered under his breath before picking up his sister. As carefully as he could, he lowered her onto her feet.   
    Katie held tightly to her brother, burying her face in his chest, scared that she might fall.  
    "You can let go now. You are standing."   
    "Don't let go!" She whined and held on tighter.   
    The plan was that she'd walk to the door, led by Matt obviously. She would be able to build up her confidence in walking, and Matt would thus learn a thing or two about guiding his sister, a skill that would come in handy once they left the safety of the hospital grounds. However, Katie has other plans.   
"Come on, Katie. It's not that far. You're going to have to learn soon." Matt slowly put distance between him and Katie. "I'm still here... Don't you trust me...?"  
Katie whimpered a little as she straightened out her legs. "It hurts, Matt. I can't do it."   
Matt sighed, slightly annoyed, "fine." He walked backwards slowly. Eventually, she'd have to follow him.   
Katie gripped her brother's wrists as tightly as she could and followed his footsteps cautiously and wearily.   
"See! You're getting the hang of it! Not so bad, right?" He stopped in front of a small wheelchair. Nobody expected her to walk all the way to the parking lot, so they brought her this to make things easier for her.   
    Matt thought for a moment of what he was supposed to say. "On your.... On your left is a wheelchair..." he watched as Katie extended her arm in search of said wheelchair. "You should be able to sit down where you are now."   
"Where...?" She asked her brother. Her childish voice was fraught with worry. "I don't know where it is!"   
    "You know left from right. Don't you?"   
    Katie slowly nodded.  
    "Good," Matt let go of her left arm, "reach out, to you left. There's a chair. Once you find it, you can sit down."  
    She raised her arm, shaking and whimpering, "Am I close??"   
    "Yeah. Pretty close." He answered.   
    Her short fingers touched plastic. She let out a sigh of relief, and very carefully sat back into the stiff and presumably uncomfortable leather chair.   
"Nice job, you two!" A nurse congratulated them from the doorway. "Matt, you can follow me as I take your sister to the car park."   
Matt did as he was told, following closely behind the nurse. On the way down, the siblings were told of today's events. Once they left the hospital, a nurse would take them to an organization that would hopefully find them the perfect service dog. After that, the two would be dropped off at their house.   
The two desperately wanted to be back at home, but it only occurred to Matt that acclimating to their new circumstances would be both important and difficult.   
    Matt helped his sister into the car and clipped her in her seatbelt. He then took his own seat next to her. When they left the parking lot, his heart began beating faster than he thought it could. On any other day, he would be watching the cars and landscape pass him by. But not today. He felt scared, vulnerable and began to shake in fear. He wasn't the only one. His sister looked like she was on the verge of tears, but she kept quiet. He couldn't just let her feel that way without doing anything. He had to do something.   
Matt took a hold of Katie's hand and rubbed it soothingly. He kept quiet, trying not to draw attention to either himself or his sister. Soon enough, she calmed down. Her hand was, however, still shaking quite a bit, but she made an effort to stay calm.   
     The teen played with the hems of his shirt in an effort to distract himself from the outside world. With each passing car he closed his eyes tightly and took deep breaths. He was terrified that something would happen. Each time the car accelerated, his heart skipped a beat. Or twenty. He tried and tried to think of something else, but it was no use. He knew it was unlikely, but what if it happened again? What if they got in another accident? He couldn't shake the feeling no matter how much he tried. It wasn't until they had come to a complete stop that he was able to breath normally. Trip 1 of 2 went smoothly. No accident, no collision.   
    Just as he had done before, he helped Katie get out of the car, and led her up to the building.   
    She held tightly to her brother's hand. "Where are we going...?"   
    "We, Katie, are going to pick up your new companion."   
    Katie limped along side her brother, one hand out to her side, always touching the wall. "Can we... Slow down?" She begged between exasperated breaths.   
    "Sorry... I forgot your legs were still sore." Matt did as he was asked, slowing down the pace just enough to ease his sister's pain.   
    They rounded a the corner and came to a large, but empty room. Matt guided his nervous sibling to a chair and helped her to sit. He then took a seat next to her.   
    Katie looked around the room aimlessly. Her now gray eyes didn't know where to look. Slowly, she wrapped her fingers around her brother's hand.   
    "Are you Alright...?" Matt whispered to her. "There's Nothing to be afraid of."  
    "I'm just... I'm just nervous. I can't see and I don't want to embarrass you... or me..."   
    Matt gave a little chuckle, "you won't embarrass anyone. We're here because the people who work here are going to help you. They want you to be able to live normally."   
    "But what if I do something stupid? Like walk into a wall? Or a door? Or trip?" She began shaking in her seat. "I don't want to fall..."  
    "Then it's a good thing we're getting you a guide dog." He rubbed his sister's trembling hand, "It's going to be fine. Don't worry too much, or you might—"  
    Katie cut him off, finishing his sentence for him "... miss a chance to do something great." She smiled, remembering her father's words.   
    Matt in turn smiled back at her. "See? It'll be okay."   
    Katie stayed silent and so did Matt. The two of them are both nervous about one thing or another, but their silence was short lived.   
"Matthew and Katherine Holt?" A woman entered. Matt assumed she would be the one to 'find' them a service dog.  
    "Yes. Hello." Matt answered, standing up and shaking hands with her. "Thank you so much for your help."   
    "You two are very welcome. I'm Janice. If I'm correct your sister needs..." she checked her notes quickly, "a guide dog and one that will also provide emotional support?"  
    Matt nodded and sat back down next to his sister, who took a hold of his hand. "Do you have any... um... available for her?" He didn't quite know what to say. His little knowledge of public speaking wasn't helping. Matt tried desperately to act like a responsible adult, how he thought his own parents would've acted if they were here with him.   
    Janice nodded and smiled. "We take the time to train our animals in order to make sure that they can handle any situation, any person, any age, any schedule. It's my job to match your sister with the perfect dog. What might you be looking for?"   
     Katie nudged her brother forcefully with her shoulder.   
    Matt rolled his eyes "You can speak for yourself, Katie..."  
    She shook her head defiantly.   
    "Fine... My sister was really just wanting a fluffy or soft-coated dog. I know it's probably super specific, but... She's kind of picky like that some times."   
    "A fluffy dog?" Janice asked, thinking about their options. "Would you prefer a big dog or a smaller dog?"  
    Matt was quick to answer "I think a sm—"  
    "A big dog!" Katie giggled, cutting him off. "I like big fluffy dogs."   
    "Is that all? Does gender matter?" Janice reviewed her notes again.   
    The children shook their heads.   
    "I just want her to have a guide." Matt confessed, and his sister agreed.   
    Janice gave Katie a small pat on the top of her head. "We have quite a few that meet your requirements. I think I know one that you might like." She walked across the room, opened a door and left.   
    "You'll have to tell me if he's cute." Katie giggled in excitement.    
    "Yeah, yeah. I'll let you know."   
    It was only a few minutes before the door reopened. Janice returned with a service dog.   
    Matt sat right up in his chair as the giant dog made a beeline for his sister. "It's huge! That's a service dog?!"   
    Katie jumped a little as the animal's wet nose touched her knee in curiosity. "Is he cute?" She asked her brother as she slowly extended her hand to the dog's head.   
    "That is a Japanese Akita. One of the world's most loyal and hardworking dogs." Janice informed the two. "He doesn't play fetch or run around all that much. Instead, he sticks by his owner's side all day and night."   
    "Are you sure he's right for us...? I mean... He's almost taller than her..."   
    "Are you afraid of dogs?" Janice asked Matt.   
    "No..." He shook his head, "Does he pull on the leash?"   
    Katie giggled. "Matt! He's a service doggy! He knows better than to do that." She began stroking the dog's huge, fluffy ears. The little girl couldn't help but smile. "I like him."   
    "You haven't seen any of the others... Are you sure this is the one you want?"   
    "Yes. I like him." Katie sat on the floor next to her new companion, who in turn lay down next to her. "I think he likes me too." She wrapped her arms around the dog and smiled adorably. "Can we keep him?"   
    Matt didn't know how to react. On one hand, he didn't want his sister to regret this decision, but he also didn't want to tell her no.   
    "Why don't you try walking with him?" Janice helped Katie to her feet. "When you walk, he will follow. You can trust him to guide you."   
    She was right, as soon as Katie made an effort to walk, her guide perked up and followed right beside her. The dog seemed to enjoy keeping the six year old safe just as much as getting little pats and strokes from her.   
    Matt watched it all from a fair distance. He knew he shouldn't intervene, and he suppressed the urge to follow her.   
    Everything was going rather smoothly, until Katie tripped on her own two feet. Matt lunged forward, but he was too late.   
    By the time he had moved an inch, the dog had already caught Katie.   
    "Are you ok...?" Matt asked, worried.   
    "Yeah! I'm fine!" Katie giggled as she stood up with her guide's help.   
    "Why don't you come on back here?" He asked his sister, hiding his worry.   
    She shuffled her feet along the floor, one hand out in front of her, searching for her brother, and the other holding firmly to the dog.   
    Matt embraced his sister when she finally made it back to him. "Mom and Dad would be so proud of you."   
    Katie smiled adorably, thinking of her parents. "Matt? What's the Italian word for loyal? Mommy tried to teach me some... But I don't know that one..."   
    "Um I think it's leale... why?"   
    Katie smiled big, "Can we name him Leale? He seems loyal to me"   
    Matt looked at the dog who was now sitting still by their side. "Le... ah... le..." he repeated it aloud to himself and nodded. "Welcome to the problematic family, Leale."   
    Katie squealed in excitement and hugged her new dog tightly. "I have a dog!"   
    Matt knelt down next to his sister and clipped on the dog's new collar. "Just remember, he's not a pet. Ok?"   
    "Relax, Matt. Me and Leale are best buds. Right?" Katie giggled as the Akita nuzzled her cheek. "See?"   
    Finally, she was happy. After so many days and never ending nights, his sister was happy again. She was smiling. Not once had she ever smiled, not since the crash. Not really smiled. Her cute, happy smiled was calming, and Matt felt at peace.   
    After Matt filled out the paperwork, he helped her to her feet. Katie was ecstatic and walked as fast as her legs could carry her out to the car.   
    "Next stop, home!" She smiled with joy. "I can't wait! We're going home, Matt!"   
    "Yeah. I know. Pretty cool right?" He faked his enthusiasm just for her. The truth is, he doesn't want to go home. Not anymore. It won't be the same. Without his parents, nothing is the same. How will they get buy without money? Matt can't work for at least another four months.   
    As they pulled up to his house, Matt thanked their chaperone and led his sister up the stairs to their house.   
Matt unlock the door and pushed it open. His heart sank. Up until now he was greeted by his parents when he returned home. Hugged by both of them. Welcomed. Loved. But his once favorite place is now dark and lonely. A reminder of what used to be, and what will never be.  
    He wasn't the only one who felt this way. His sister reached out for his hand, gripping it tightly when she found it.   
    They both knew that everything was now different. No more 'Welcome home, Matt'. No more 'Welcome home, Katie'. Neither of them would ever hear those words from their parents. No more embarrassing hugs and kisses. No more family dinners, movies or bedtime stories. Nothing.   
    Everything was gone.


	4. Chapter 4

Leale kept a close watch on Katie 24/7, he followed her everywhere, guiding her around the house on the first floor, and helped her go outside if she ever needed to. Matt however, still stayed close to her side just incase. His sister was surprisingly happy to do almost anything, and was eager to work up the strength to finally go upstairs. After a week, Matt agreed, and helped her from the first floor all the way to the top of the stairs. Sure, Leale can guide her almost anywhere, but communication is key when you can't see where you're going.  
By now, Matt was ready to go back to school. His concussion was, for the most part, gone, and he needed to start again if he ever hoped to finish his second year of high school.  
"When are you leaving?" Katie asked in curiosity as she sat on the couch listening to the TV.  
Matt clicked through the channels, looking for nothing in particular. "Tomorrow."  
She whined is disapproval, "can't you wait until Monday? I'm really going to miss you..."  
"Nope. I have to go back as soon as possible, or I won't pass this quarter." He sat back on the couch, getting comfortable, "besides, you're going to be learning to read braille starting tomorrow. I found you a tutor, and he'll be coming here for 6 hours from Monday to Friday."  
Katie cocked her head in confusion. "What's bray... ill...?"  
"It's a bunch of dots on a paper or something that helps people who can't see, read. Like sign language, but for the blind."  
"Do you know it?" She asked.  
Matt chuckled and shook his head. "Me? No. I do not. But you will."  
"Aww..." she crosses her arms, "I don't want to."  
"Ok, fine." Matt got up and walked off, as if to prove a point to his sister.  
"No! I'll learn it! Don't be mean!"  
    "I'm not going anywhere." Matt suppressed his laughter in an attempt not to upset her any more.  
    Katie pouted, glaring at nothing in particular, "Then why did you get up?"  
"Because..." He scooped her up off the couch, "It's your bedtime, Katie."  
"But we're having fun!"  
"It's already seven. Bedtime is 6:30, is it not?"  
"Yes..." she wrapped her arms around her brother's neck and yawned loudly. "Do you think I can see in my dreams?"  
"What?" Matt was taken aback by her question, confused and concerned as to why she was asking it. "How so?"  
Katie shrugged, "If I dream, am I me? Seeing the world through my own eyes? Or am I just a spectator...?"  
He hummed, thinking of how to answer her question. "Well... I think in your dreams you can see the world." He carried his sister up to her room and placed her gently on her bed. "And, I also think that if you close your eyes, you can see anything."  
Katie smiled big at his comments, "I think so too."  
He removed her shoes and helped her change into her pajamas.  
"Last night, I dreamed of Mommy and Daddy." Katie said softly.  
"Oh... you did? Was it..." his voice cracked and he cleared his throat, trying to hide it, "Was it nice...?"  
"Yeah..." she scooted under the blankets and rested her head on her pillow. "I miss them... A lot..."  
Matt stroked her hair gently, "I know you do... I miss them too. But we still have each other. I might not be the best person to look after a six year old, but you're my sister, and I have to look after you. Because I know that when I need it most, you'll be the one to make sure I'm ok."  
Katie smiled a little "promise you'll always be here for me. No matter what."  
"Don't worry... I will always be here for you. I promise."  
    Leale curled up at the foot of Katie's bed as he always did. "Goodnight, Matty." Katie mumbled, hugging a stuffed bear tightly in her arms.  
    "Night, Katie. You look after my sister, ok, Leale?" Matt stroked the dog's fur and turned off the bedroom light. 

 

***

 

The loud beeping of an old alarm clock shook Matt from his deep sleep. He turned on the light in his room before silencing the annoying clock. He grabbed his clothes and hopped in the shower. The hot water made the bathroom steamy and humid. After a short towel off, he threw on his clothes. Matt tried his best to be stealthy and silent as to not wake up his sister. The old wooden floorboards creaked below his feat when he made his was downstairs. He quickly put together a small lunch, just a sandwich and crackers, nothing special, before turning on the stove and heating up some water. There are only two things he knows how to make when it comes to food: eggs and sandwiches. The kettle let out a high pitched squeal indicating that the water was at a boil. Breakfast, if you could even call it that, was on the small side, a burnt egg and half a cup of coffee.  
On any normal day, he would've gotten up at least an hour later, 5:30 instead of 4:30, but since he's walking to school, he'll need that extra hour.  
Before he left, he wrote his sister a note, telling her when he'd be back and what he should do in the meantime.  
    He locked the door behind him and started the long walk to school. He began going through his actions, making sure he did everything, and had everything he needed. "Oh shit...." Mat stopped dead in his tracks. "How could I be so stupid??" He had made a huge mistake.  
    Katie can't read. She can't even see. Excellent idea. Leave a note for someone who can't read it. Matt sighed deeply trying to think of any way in which this situation could get better. Thankfully, she has a nurse coming in to check on her, so she'll read it. Hopefully. 

 

***

 

The halls of his school were packed, even at 6:00 AM. He turned in his absence note to the office and received a folder of everything he missed. Which after three weeks is a hell of a lot of work. Nobody knew the reason of his absence. All they know is that he was injured in some way and had to stay home until his 'possible' concussion healed. That's how he wanted it. Neither him nor Katie wanted anyone to know about the accident. 

 

***

 

"Attention class." His teacher announced after the bell rang. "Today you will be split into pairs to begin working on a project. I want you all to work together and meet outside of class as much as possible. I will now assign your groups."  
Matt was partnered with a stranger. As always. He didn't talk much to others. He was after all the genius and the flirt. Both of which got him a pretty bad reputation.  
"Welcome back, Matt." His partner said cheerfully.  
"Thanks." He replied sheepishly.  
"You don't remember me? I'm Takashi. We met in the pediatric ward a few weeks ago."  
"Oh, yeah. I think. Sorry, I wasn't really myself then. I don't remember a whole lot..."  
"It's fine. I understand." The black haired boy gave Matt a caring smile. "Anyway, you can call me Shiro. I prefer it to Takashi."  
    Matt nodded hesitantly. "So... is Takashi your real name..?"  
    "Yeah. But my last name is Shirogane. And I like the name Shiro."  
    "Alrighty then." He smiled and pulled out his laptop from his bag. "I guess we should get started then."  
    Shiro studied the rubric for the project, and quietly read the title aloud, "1920s Literature research project. Doesn't sound too boring."  
   "How long have I been gone? I don't remember covering any if this."  
    "Three weeks is a lot of work." His partner chuckled a little, "but you really didn't miss all that much. Most of it was review. We really didn't cover anything too important."  
    Matt looked over the rubric, skimming the instructions for hints at what they should do. Their best option would be a PowerPoint presentation and written research. He opened up a blank document and web browser. "Hey, What's your email? Or phone number."  
    Shiro pulled out his phone and the teens exchanged contact information. "If you want, we can meet after school somewhere to work on this. Since we need two pages of notes by tomorrow."  
    Matt nodded in agreement. "We could meet at my place. Unless the library works better for you."  
    "I got kicked out of the library actually." He laughed sarcastically in embarrassment. "It was my brother's fault."  
    "How do you get kicked out of a library?" Matt held back his laughter, not wanting to insult his friend.  
    "Don't ask me. He got in a fight. He's nine, but has a bit of a temper."  
    "A fight?" He didn't want to believe Shiro, but you don't normally just make that stuff up.  
    "Yeah... But it's not his fault. Technically..." Shiro gave Matt an embarrassed smile, "Anyway! Project research!"  
Matt nodded, moving his gaze from Shiro to his computer.  
    The two boys worked hard to find reliable sources for their project the entire bell. Matt, knowing a lot about research projects found most of the websites and sources. However, Shiro was definitely much better at taking notes than Matt would ever be. 

 

***

 

    "Hey, Matt!" Shiro called from down the hall.  
    Matt turned around and walked towards his friend. "Hey. Are we still good for today?"  
    "Yeah." He looked eager to leave. "I normally pick up my brother from school, but my grandfather can do it."  
    "Grandfather...?"  
“I don’t live with my parents.” Shiro answered, avoiding eye contact.  
“I-if you need to pick up your brother for school then you should do that. Family comes first, right?”  
    "No, it's fine." Shiro smiled encouragingly, "he's a pain in the ass sometimes anyway."  
    "Oh...” That's a shame."  
    Shiro shook his head, smiling, "What can I say? Little siblings are the worst."  
    "You don't like your brother...?" Matt asked with slight worry in his voice.  
    "No. I like him. Just... You know... Little siblings are annoying at times."  
Matt only nodded. He didn’t agree with Shiro, not one bit, but he kept quiet. The last thing he needs is to go into detail about his personal life.  
    Silence fell upon the two boys as they exchanged very awkward glances.  
    "So..." Shiro looked at Matt, gesturing to the parking lot. "Should we get going?"  
    The brown haired teen bit his lip hard. "You don't mind if you give me a ride, do you? Normally I would probably drive. But I walked today, because, reasons."  
    "You got your license suspended or something?"  
    Matt shrugged, lowering his eyes. "Yeah... Something like that."  
    "No problem, Matt." Shiro patted his friend on the back with such force it nocked the wind out of him completely.  
    He gasped for air, trying to keep as relaxed as possible, but it hurt like hell.  
    "Do you're living around here?" He asked Matt in curiosity. "I mean. If you walked to school it couldn't have been that far."  
    "Just a few blocks. Not too far..."  
    Shiro began leading Matt to his car, "Well, thats good. At least you don't have to walk miles to get here."  
    "Yep..." Matt realized he's made a big mistake. Again. He hasn't told anyone about the crash, his parents, and certainly not his sister. Nobody even knows he has a sister. Eventually, he’ll have to say something. 

 

***

 

    Just as he said, Shiro drove Matt home. Matt was glad Shiro didn't really ask him about his life at home, but now it's haunting him like a ghost.  
    "Shiro, wait." Matt finally spoke up just before he got out of the car. "There's something I have to tell you. About how I live. It's... it's not normal."  
    "That's fine. My life is pretty messed up too." He said supporting his new friend.  
    "Yeah, but here's the thing." Matt stopped Shiro in front of his house. "Remember when we first met? I was having a mental breakdown in the halls of the hospital?" Shiro nodded and Matt continued. "I was in a terrible car accident... My sister got some of the worst injuries..."  
    "Is she alright?"  
    "Um yeah... She's alive... Which is good...”  
“That’s why you didn’t drive, isn’t it?”  
Matt only nodded in response.  
“Your mom and dad must have been really worried about you two. I’m glad you’re alright. And your sister.”  
“Thanks but.. About my parents... They were with us and after the impact... they didn’t...” Matt couldn't finish what he was saying, it was too emotional for him to even think about. He looked down at the ground, eyes wet with tears.  
    "Matt... I'm so sorry. We don’t have to do this. You’re clearly still getting over what’s happened."  
    "No. It's best if I get my mind off of what's happened." He forced a smile in an attempt to prove his point. “And it’s better if we get the notes together. It’ll be easier.”  
    Shiro followed his friend up to his porch, and made one last attempt to change his mind. "I'm serious, if you're still this upset, we can wait to do this. I can get the notes on my own."  
    "I'm fine. I just... Had to tell someone..."  
    Shiro stayed silent as Matt opened the front door. He felt terribly sorry for him, but didn't quite know what to say or do.  
    "Also. We have a dog." Matt added quickly before swinging open the door.  
    "Wait what?" Shiro barely had time to process what Matt said until it was too late.  
    Leale was already welcoming Matt home. His giant paws resting up against Matt's chest, his tail wagging.  
    "Yeah." Matt quickly smiled and pushed the dog off of him with ease. "He's pretty big, but he doesn't bite."  
    "How did you get one of these?"  
    Matt shrugged "The pet store..."  
    "Matt?! Is that you?!" A child's voice called from upstairs.  
    "Yeah. I brought a friend so behave yourself." He called up to her, half jokingly. Matt pointed Leale in the direction of the stairs, in a sense telling him to get his sister.  
    "No. I know how you get a dog. But.. It's just... That's an Akita. Most people don't have those kinds of dogs here. I haven't seen one since my childhood..." Shiro said in awe.  
    "You've seen this kind of dog before...?"  
    "Matt." He furrowed his brow and sighed. "I'm from Japan."  
"Right... Sorry..." he forced a very awkward smile. "It's just-"  
    "Matt!" Katie stood at the top of the stairs, smiling adorably. "I've been waiting for you to come home for forever!" She giggled, slowly making her way down the stairs with Leale's guidance.   
    Matt extended his arms in hopes that Katie would locate him more easily. "I missed you too."  
Shiro chuckled quietly to himself, "You seem really attached to your sister."  
He only shrugged, "yeah. I guess." Katie hugged him tightly when she found him. "Oh! Katie. This is my friend, Shiro. He's here to work on a project for school."  
    "Hey, Katie." Shiro smiled kindly at the little girl. "That's quite the pet you have."  
    "He's not a pet." Katie leaned back onto her brother lazily, "he's a service dog. My guide."  
    "That's really sweet." Shiro replied, thinking it was just a cute little game she played. "You know, the Akita is a pretty special dog. You’re very lucky to have found one of these.” He continued innocently.  
    "Um, Shiro..." Matt cleared his throat. "Katie can't see. The crash rendered her blind. I was going to tell you, but... I got side tracked."  
    Shiro's jaw dropped, he felt terrible. "I am so sorry. I hope I didn't offend you, Katie... And if I did, I am sorry"  
    "It's ok..." she smiled adorably. "I'd rather people didn't know...." she added rudely, looking upwards at her brother.  
Matt smiled awkwardly, "Yeah... Well Shiro is a friend and he won't judge you."  
"Anyway..." Shiro stepped in, ending the silence, "I'm glad that you're alright." He looked back at Matt, getting his attention. "Do you want to work in your room, or...? What works best for you."  
"Kitchen is fine." Matt led his friend into their small kitchen and dining room. "I normally do my work in my room, but it's pretty messy."  
"No it's fine. I don't have a clean room either."  
The boys took a seat and went over what they had. Even though he barely knew him, Shiro was being very friendly towards Matt, but then again, they didn't really have a choice. If they wanted to do well on the project, then they would have to work as a team. That's an unspoken rule of school.  
At some point in their work, the boys got sidetracked completely. Their conversation became more and more personal with each passing minute.  
Matt was fascinated by the fact that His friend was from Japan, a place that if he could, Matt would travel to in a heartbeat. And Shiro was surprised to know how much of a nerd Matt was. He wasn’t so great with technology, but he loved science and surprisingly horror movies. Completely opposite of Shiro, who preferred comedies and action based movies.  
"I thought you two were studying..." Katie teased from the front hall.  
"We are!" Matt called back to his sister. "Just getting to know each other."  
"That’s not studying."  
“If we’re going to be partnered up for the remainder of this project, we’ll need to work together... And that means getting to know one another.”  
There was a slight pause before she spoke again, “Partners..? As in love?” Her voice was filled with innocence, but she meant every word.  
The boys turned bright red.  
"Katie! That's not funny!" Matt slammed his head down on the table, embarrassed. "I'm so sorry." He lifted his head to find Shiro laughing. "What're you laugh about?"  
"Your sister." Shiro continued to laugh. "She's got a lot of opinions for a six year old."  
"Yeah? Well my parents never believed in secrecy.... She knows too much for her own good."  
“Come on, laugh a little... It wasn’t a bad joke.”  
“I wasn’t making a joke.” Katie started giggling to herself in the hall, but she was serious.  
Matt stood up suddenly, his face was bright red. "Do you need something to drink? Like water?” He asked completely embarrassed.  
"Sure, I have to go soon, but if it isn't too much to ask."  
"It's water...." Matt hurried to the sink and brought back two cups of water. "I hope you don't mind tap water..."  
"I've had worse, trust me." He took the cup from his friend gratefully.  
Matt took his seat again and held his head in his hands. "I am so sorry about my sister. She doesn't know what she's talking about. Don't take her seriously."  
The dark haired boy smiled kindly, "I really don't mind. She's a kid. She can have some fun.”  
Matt was still much too flustered to say anything else.  
His friend's phone vibrated loudly as he received a text. "I have to go. Thank you again for your help and letting me come over."  
"Thanks for being so calm about everything.” He smiled genuinely, "... and for driving me home."  
"Don't mention it. If you need a ride to and from school, I can totally pick you up."  
"No please. That isn't necessary!"  
"I'll pick you up at 6:30." He gathered his things and thanked Matt once more before he left.  
"You like him don't you?" His sister teased.  
For once he was glad that she couldn't see. His face was as red as a rose. "No! Katie! He's a guy! Guys don't like guys!"  
The little girl giggled as she leaned against the wall. "Daddy said that guys and girls can like whoever they want."  
"Where's your dog?" Matt changed the subject as quickly as he could.  
Katie shrugged. "I dunno... I can't look for him."  
"Very funny Katie." Matt wasn't amused.  
“You do like him! I knew it!”  
“No, I don’t.” He took a deep breath, in an effort to not be angry with her. “Where is Leale?”  
She lowered her gaze and shrugged. "He's over there somewhere. I don't know where."  
"He's supposed to be with you all the time. You can't keep telling him to go away."  
"I'm not!" She whined, "I don't like when people see me like this. It's not fair!"  
Matt took her hand and led her to the kitchen. "Look. I know this isn't ideal. But you don't really have a choice here. You need Leale and asking him to sit away from you is not the best idea ever."  
    She simply shrugged. "I don't think he minds. He does what I tell him."  
    "Because that's his job..." Matt paused, taking a moment to gather his thoughts. "Look, Katie. I understand you don't like what's happened and that's fine. It makes sense... But you can't be defiant anymore. You're going to be relying on the help of others for the next few years."  
    "I never wanted a dog..." Katie said quietly. "Maybe when I was littler. But not now....." she wrapped her arms tightly around her brother's neck, "I want Mommy and Daddy!"  
    Matt hugged his sister gently. What was he supposed to do? Could he say anything?  
    She began crying suddenly. It started off as little whimpers, but quickly escalated to loud, grieving sobs. "I miss my mommy and my daddy! I want them back!"  
    He didn't know what he could do that would comfort her. Her mood had changed so suddenly, there was no warning. Just tears. Matt did his best to calm her down. "I know you do.... I miss them too. But you... you are so lucky to be here right now. I don't know if you know that, but you are. It really is a miracle." Matt ran his fingers through his sister's golden brown hair, something he used to see both of his parents do.  
    "I don't like how empty home feels" she whimpered, burrowing her head into her brother's shoulder. "I don't like it at all!"  
    "Hey.... Don't focus too much on the negatives." He cupped his hands gently around her cheeks. "You're here. I'm here. We're not alone. I promised I was going to take care of you. I have yet to break that promise, don't I?"  
    Katie only nodded. She was absolutely devastated.  
    Matt wiped away her tears, "It isn't all that bad. You'll adjust to your new lifestyle quickly and things will go back to normal.... But for now..." He snapped his fingers, calling their dog to him. "You have to let Leale do his job."  
    Katie wrapped her arms around Leale, doing what she could to keep herself from crying. "Ok... He can be my guide..." she smiled cheekily, "for now."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I’m having trouble writing the beginning. Please bear with me.  
> I promise it’ll get more interesting.


End file.
